A Music Academic's Blog. Ethnomusicology, South African Choral music, Anthropology, Gender, identity, technology, academia, travel, and general notes as I progress with my graduate studies and research projects.

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Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Spud

If you haven't yet read the three books in what will eventually be a 4-book series by John Van De Ruit - Spud, The Madness Continues and Learning to Fly - I strongly recommend you do. And while there is a whole lot in them that is emphatically and uniquely South African, I think even my US friends and colleagues will find them as fascinating and engaging as I have. They are hillariously funny books, and my delight in them was dramatically increased today when I read on the author's blog that in an upcoming film based on the first book, the gov, one of my favourite characters, is played by John Cleese. The only other person I could have imagined for the role was Peter O'Toole, and it would have had to have been filmed a couple of decades ago for that to really work. I think John is perfect for it.
So if you haven't read the books, do so, and then read the author's blog. I've thoroughly enjoyed the diversion, and even get to call it research, as I will be quoting Spud in my dissertation. I'm eagerly awaiting the film and the final book.

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About Me

I am a PhD Candidate in Ethnomusicology at New York University (NYU).I obtained my Bachelor of Music degree at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2005, and was music director of the Johannesburg Chamber choir until mid 2006. I have sung with the National Youth Choir of South Africa, and the West Gauteng Youth Choir, among others in South Africa, and I currently sing with the Canterbury Downtown choir in New York. In addition to singing and conducting choirs, I play piano, organ, various recorders, penny whistle, mbira and uhadi, and once upon a time played bassoon.